Located in the Rhineland-Palatinate state of Germany on the banks of the Moselle River, Trier is packed with an ensemble of Roman monuments. Here in Germany’s oldest city, visitors can discover captivating historical attractions as well as the idyllic Moselle Valley.
Trier is filled with many UNESCO-listed monuments that showcase its rich, two-thousand-year-old Roman history. One of the city’s most iconic landmarks is the Portra Nigra, a 2nd-century Roman city gate. While the ancient gate’s original grey sandstone may have blackened over time, its structure remains as striking as ever. There’s also the Trier Cathedral, Germany’s oldest bishop church that dates back to 1270. Today, it’s an example of nearly 1700 years of religious architecture, where visitors can identify Romanesque, Gothic and baroque elements.
Trier features a range of museums that outline its incredible history and influence. The Stadtmuseum Simeonstift Trier brings alive two thousand years of local history through paintings, sculptures, textiles and more. Elsewhere, visitors can explore the father of Marxism’s first home at the Karl Marx House. This writer’s home museum showcases exhibits covering the life of the German philosopher, as well as his intellectual and political legacy.